Eclipse Now Likely Target For Eminent

Trainer Martyn Meade has had a change of heart regarding the next target for last Saturday's G1 Investec Derby fourth Eminent (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Having originally pinpointed the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh for his next assignment, Meade is now favouring either the G1 Coral Eclipse at Sandown July 8 or the G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris six days later. “Eminent is not actually in the Irish Derby and I don't think he will go for that. He might go for the Eclipse and we will consider the Grand Prix de Paris as he is in both of them. They are later than the Irish race so it gives us sufficient time to get him back to his best,” Meade said. While Eminent proved he stayed twelve furlongs at Epsom Meade sees the Sandown trip as ideal for the colt. “It would be quite good to try the stiff mile and a quarter at Sandown, and it obviously helps it is a big striding track and that is what he needs.” Eminent could well face a rematch with Cliffs Of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at Sandown and Meade revealed circumstances at Epsom could give Eminent the upper hand over the Ballydoyle horse should they clash again. “Unfortunately Jim lost his whip [at Epsom]. They also squeezed him out, but you are not going to be able to squeeze through past jockeys as strong as Frankie Dettori and Ryan Moore without a whip. I am not saying we would have beaten the winner as he came down the outside with a wet sail, but I certainly think we would have been second or third. Maybe we have now got rid of our bad luck,” the trainer added.